InterWorld Michief
by Moonlight M3lody
Summary: Tierkreis. Someone robs Other Marica's garden, so Atrie helps her to find the culprit. Written for Infantrum's Challenge. Prompt orange


Beta Reader: Wyl. Thanks, as always^.

Atrie walked down the street of Flesaria Forest Castle coolly. He was unable to meet Sieg, and the whole castle seemed to be busy preparing their next move. He shouldn't interfere, for the Order to be crushed was also his intention. He refused Moana's offer to guide him to the Gateway. He hadn't had any chance to explore around before, so might as well take this one. The further he examined the castle's structure, the quieter he becomes. No doubt that that was the castle he was looking for. The one piece of the puzzle, how could its residents vanished and only left behind them the Shining Legacy, pushed him to pursue the truth. If their hypothesis so far was right, only places that had Chronicles with them remained unharmed. The area as large as its power could reach. It's not an explanation for their disappearance. Whether something did happen before the fusion, or they had died in their effort. No, he would forget the last one, keeping the slightest hope that they're alive.

He was so busy with his thinking that he passed without noticing a girl that just appeared from the Gateway. He blinked. "Marica?"

That girl was surprised too. She stared blankly. "Who are you?"

Atrie raised his eyebrows. "You don't remember me? And your clothes today… It's a bit different from your usual style, isn't it?"

Marica laughed. She understood what happened. "You must mistook me for _this world's_ Marica." She leaned her axe to her side.

"This world's Marica? You also came from another world?" Atrie couldn't hide his curiosity. He had heard of some worlds that looked alike existing in the Infinity, but never actually visited one.

"Yes, I am. Mine and their worlds are quite similar to each other. I've lost count of people that confuse me with Marica. Hey, is Sieg here?" Her face suddenly changed expression.

"No, that's why I'm about to head back. They said Liu, Jale, Marica and he were trying to gather support from the Furious Roar, another group involved in this war. The rest were scattered on missions, or busy for the next assault preparations. I can't meet anyone I know." He thought for a second, then added,"If you don't know, they're fighting a suspicious organization called the Order of One True Way." He filled in the details before Marica cut in, "I know. We're fighting the same organization back in my world."

"What? So the Order appeared in your world too?" he folded his arms. "They're so fishy. I wonder who they are actually." More worlds. Sieg's, Cougar's, his, and now this Marica's.

"Don't tell me you also-!" she said in rush. This stuff made her blood boiled.

"Okay, Marica. Are you here now to tell Sieg something regarding the Order?" If she did, then he would listen too. More information coming from another world during his own research, and they had proven to be a great help to his understanding.

"No. I was about to conduct Renegade hunt, but I succeeded killing that monster before it reached the Gateway. So I thought, might as well come to visit. Like you, I also want to hear glimpses of news if I could," she grinned.

After a brief pause, Marica explained about the condition in her world. Somehow they were able to escape dangerous state, and were stabilizing. "Before that, I'm Marica. I bear Marks of the Stars under the star of Tenkai."

Atrie shook her hand. "Atrie. Also under the star of Tenkai." Excited to find out both of them were leader of their own world, they exchanged stories, news, and records of past battles. The Order did the same thing in every world, they assumed. Their tactics were only slightly varied from world to world. They really believed that the future is predetermined, so they would win if their Chancellor said so, no matter what the circumstances.

"Visit my world sometime. You will like it," she said when finally readied herself to enter the Gateway. Suddenly another person appeared from the light. He ran to Marica. "Marica! Something's happened! The oranges in the orchard, the one ready to be harvested, are gone! All of them!" he huffed and panted.

"How could something like that happen?" asked Marica. Like Sieg's castle, they also had farm and orchard to supply the army's need of food. If there were anything stolen, they would need to readjust meal portions until the stock become normal again. And there was no guarantee the thief, or thieves, wouldn't come back." I'll check it. Back to your post."

The messenger bowed."Yes, thank you."

Atrie patted her shoulder. "May I tag along? I'm quite curious myself to see your world." Indeed, he was curious. Besides, it would be a good chance to see their stronghold by himself.

"It's alright for me, but you'll need to go back to your own world first, and then use your own gateway to connect to my world. Pretty annoying eh, the fact we can't go back but with the gateway we used to come? Anyway, I'll be waiting at the Corridor. Make sure you're quick."

Atrie stepped into the Gateway, followed by Marica soon after.

Corridor

"You sure took your time. Ready to go?"

"Yeah. Thank you for letting me in."

"No problem. I could use any help finding that thief."

Marica's World-Gateway Front

"Here we go. My castle is a bit further."

"Actually, it's really similar to Sieg's world." He commented.

Marica lead his way through. "They had come to this world once, and they said it's almost no different to Flesaria Forest." She swung her axe at some monsters nearby, without dropping a single drop of sweat.

"Oh, yeah. But, wait. Flesaria Forest came from my friend's world. How could it be here too? It was there as the result of world fusion. Could the same fate befell two similar, parallel worlds?" he stopped. They had reached the end of the woods. The path they were walking on seemed like Man made.

"This is our orchard. What did you say? I think this world had this forest since its beginning. I bear Marks of the Stars before Sieg and the others did. I don't remember there being any world fusion happening here."

"Or you don't remember. Weonly know what changed since the moment we touched our first chronicle, if I recall right. Sieg never knew there was any fusion in his world before Flesaria Forest appeared, which was after he bears the Stars. Me too."

"Maybe you're right. It's scary, though. Yesterday I learnt that the fusions had taken place many times before, yet I never realize how this world transformed every now and then. Let's continue this discussion about Chronicles next time. I'm more anxious about thief in my castle."

"Lady Marica!" another man came to report as soon as they could be seen from the other side of the orchard. "Please take a look around. As you see, no single orange remained."

Strange, mangoes and peaches were still in place. Just what kind of thief would they face? "It's like the thief couldn't take anything but oranges, which are the smallest of the others,"commented Atrie. Marica examined a rotten orange at the corner of the orchard. "Atrie, do you know what these are?"

She pointed to a line of small footprints, which were hardly visible to them when standing. "At least we can conclude the thief is small, which also explains why it only took oranges. No, this is not a thievery. This is rather… a mischief. Anyone you suspect?" she bit her lips. "I want to inspect these things closer before we jump onto suspects."

They found another clue under the thornberry bushes near the path to the Gateway. A handcuff, velvet blue and so tiny that could barely fit to your fingers, not hand. "Whose handcuff is this?" asked Atrie. It was made of some kind of shell and shiny, not your garden variety handcuffs. "I think I know. Could you wait here? I'll ask some people in my castle."

"I said I'm not!"

"Okay, Numnu, I'll try to believe you. But who would do this kind of mischief other than you?"

"Ask another person!"

"Any luck?" Asked Atrie a few minutes later. Marica had interrogated the Porpos for an hour before she could admit she was defeated. "Let's get back to the garden and see if we can find more clues,"she sighed.

"Now that you mention it, didn't those footprints point to the direction of the Gateway?" he muttered. Someone might as well have taken the chance to steal something and get away easily, since no one could see it from the opposite view.

"So, you suspect the thief came from another world? But… I set that Gateway to head directly to Sieg's world. If anyone wants another destination, they will need to ask the Wanderers in the castle."

"If the thief did come from his world, someone in his castle would see him. Their Gateway is located at the corner of the castle. He won't get out easily."

Two minutes of little discussion, both of them determined to go through the Gateway. Handcuff in Atrie's hand, and rotten oranges at Marica.

-Gateway Front-Sieg's World-

"Marica? And ah, Atrie! What a surprise! What made you two come today?" Hotupa welcomed them as soon as the light faded.

"We're on a manhunt mission. Someone raided my orchard."

Hearing that kind of answer surprised Hotupa. He walked alongside them to the main hall. "I advise you to ask Moana. She is the one in charge for such things. I'm afraid I can't tell you anything."

"Hello there! Any request for Renegades hunting?"Moana cheerfully greeted them.

"There is something we want to ask. Do you have time?"

She was puzzled, but nodded. "I suppose I have. What's it?"

Moana heard their stories without asking too many questions. She bit her lips after they finished. "Hmm, looks like you come to a right place. I think I know. Sieg is back. He would lead you to… the one responsible for this act." She left them to call Sieg.

Sieg waved at their presence. "Hello, long time no see. Now, I've heard the story from Moana. Follow me."

They went to the third floor residence, and turned to a room. "Porpos-kin?" Marica squealed when they saw what were inside. Atrie checked on the handcuff. Ornamental shell, cerulean colored, and he understand what happened. "Numnu, may you come here and hear what they will say?" The said Porpos moved reluctantly. "Numnu of this world!" Numnu cringed. Hideously, sheepishly grumbled.

"Do you know who robbed Marica's orchard?"

Numnu pretended to be deaf. But when Sieg repeated the question for the third time he yelled,"Okay, I did! I hate that twin of me, okay? He's the one responsible for anything that made me have towear that handcuff!"

Before they could think on his response, Neira entered the room. "Oh, my, what happened?"

Numnu continued his confession,"My mischief last time, it was not mine! It was that annoying brat whose face is the same as mine and I was the one getting punished! I just want a payback!"

Neira approached her subordinates. "Numnu? Why didn't you tell it sooner?" Marica, Sieg and Atrie cut her off, "Can you explain? I don't get it on some part."

Neira smiled sadly,"This is embarassing, but… a few days ago we found Numnu hiding our belongings, including our weapons and armors. I couldn't think of what punishment to give anymore, so I finally made Numnu wear a handcuff. In Naineneis, it was a symbol meant 'Restraining yourself' for really bad behavior. To wear it is considered to be a shameful experience."She ended her speech almost silently.

"So it was actually these two Porpos' quarrel?" concluded Atrie.

"Like that Ramin and his counterpart." Sieg continued.

"Then I shall apologize, Numnu. All of you," she turned,"Please go outside. We will take care of this our way." They obeyed.

"Case…closed?" said Marica. She was thankful that 'this world's Marica' would never do something like that. She giggled. She was the one disgraced her name before, though it was not something she intended to do.

Sieg groaned,"I think I'll quit if I need to do anything related to 'another world twin' or something like that. I've enough trouble."

Atrie chuckled. "Good grief I never have that experience, and I hope would never had."

"I'll make sure to warn Numnu of my world too. Thank you for your assistance today, Sieg, and Atrie." Sieg grinned."No need for thanks. You'll be back?" They passed Belfar Agency's room and descended to the second floor. "I'll come to visit soon," promised Marica. Atrie smiled. "If you have anything to ask, don't hesitate to come to my world." The three of them looked at each other in front of the Gateway.

"We will crush the Order!"

A/N: Lame plot? Blame me. I'm not that good with Suspense. If you're wondering why I use the 'orange' plot again(As in 'Encounter') ,it is simply because I made two stories for Nerizu's Fanfiction Challenge(If you haven't read it yet, this time's theme is Orange)


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